“Out n Back” A Gingers Journey!

Robey Miller • April 17, 2020

Flying a 172 half way across Australia and back

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    The chariot at Wave Hill Station, NT

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    QANTAS museum in Longreach, QLD

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    Picked up the old man in Charleville

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  • Early morning R44 flight

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    Long way across!

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    All the maps! A lot of planning. 

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    With the oldies at Wave Hill Station, NT

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    Barkly Homestead, NT

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    On the way to Cloncurry, QLD

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    The infamous heli-rid

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The planned route: 
Day one: YTWB – YBCV – YLRE – YKLL 835 NM
Day two: YKLL – YTNK – YWAV 514 NM
Average GS: 115 knots Gotta love it!

Day 1 
Gotta get all that prep done. Maps checked, route planned, W&B triple checked, Fuel Required Checked 1000 times along with prices and availability along the route. Flight plans pre-prepped.

Take off from Toowoomba was on 14 Sep 19 0630 local, smooth as silk Scattered 8500. Visibility 9999. Wish I had of saved all the forecasts.

The further west you go the more you see the greens quickly disappear and are replaced by the browns and deep red soil. 
Just under 3 hours alone in the plane to Charleville to settle into the trip and home for the next few days. Fortunately, they prepare well in Charleville for those pesky blade slappers with cans of Heli-rid plentiful. 

Pick up the Father-in-law in Charleville my Co-pilot (victim) for the majority of the flights. North West to Longreach. Because where else would you fly a plane to on a fly away but the Australian Mecca of Aviation. 

Fuel for the pilots and PAX and some for the plane before blasting off west trying our best to get some cooler air and tailwinds at 6500'. Took a long time to climb at MTOW. Landing at a school mates place with what can only be described as an interesting landing.  Amazing how much better a cold drink tastes after a long day of flying. 

Day 2
Next day up early and given a treat. No Heli-rid in sight as we jump in the R44 and take a lap around the property.

Off to Tennant Creek. For a quick break. Nice little terminal building that was open from the GA side. Honesty box and a cup of tea never goes a miss. 

Then off to Wave Hill. Off to see Mum and Dad. By this stage it is not possible to out-climb the bumps. Not a lot to look at beside some clay pans and sand. Lot and lots of Sand. 

Tie the plane down it has earned a break. Time for some rest. Hahaha jokes, Mum has a few odd jobs that have “just come up” Not a drama. 

Extremely dry by this stage being that far west and the visibility noticeably decreased as you headed west the entire time due to dust storms. Still kept the tail winds must be lucky.  

First Day of the return leg...I am NOT LUCKY!!
Day 1  
YWAV – YTNK – YBKS – YCCY 584NM

Average GS 88 knots, visibility Forecast was 6km plus but I would say it was pushing that friendship. Take off out of Wave Hill, crack of dawn to beat the heat and the bumps. 

Inbound call to Tennant Creek. Air North pilot casually asking what our GS is like. And then just replying with a laugh as they overtook us at what seemed like light years faster than us. 

Quick top up of fuel and some recalculations of speed and fuel required. Off to the Barkly Homestead. What would a trip be without that $100 hamburger? Made all the tastier by the confused looks of the Grey Nomads as you taxi up to the back of the Road house and hop out for a break. 

Off to the Curry (Cloncurry) abeam Mount Isa. Once again there is no escaping the bumps. 
What a day. Wait which way was that windsock?

Day 2
YCCY – YLRE – YBCV 476 NM - GS… I don’t want to talk about it. 

Breaky and fuel in the Curry and off to Longreach once again for some lunch and a walk through the Qantas Museum. Highly recommended as fly away spot. Not just for the Aviation side of house but the Stockman’s Hall of fame and if you can swing it a look into the old School of the Air. Yes! before the internet kids talked on the radio with a teacher they met once a year if they were lucky. Back to Charleville and a good rest. 

Day 3
YBCV – YTWB.  311 NM and sweet sweet blistering speed back at 105 Knots GS. 
Dropped one passenger and picked up another. Amazing how you can help a friend out and make a 10 hour drive into a 3 hour flight. 

Low ceiling into Toowoomba and reduced visibility. The fires are starting to make their impact known. Nothing like a bit of traffic to finish the long week of flying. And wouldn’t you know Mum and Dad beat me home. Bringing the daughter to the airport to greet us. As they say, the fastest doesn’t always win. 

We got so see some of Australia that many will never see and in a way that is unique. You can’t put a price on experience and with a total of 33 hours of flying done to help me on the way to a CPL I was ready for a good cold drink. Someone else’s turn for designated driver.

Robey Miller
DDAC Student & Member 
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